"Dancing is the vertical expression of a horizontal desire, legalised by music."
Probably the UK's most high-energy contra dance band, Vertical Expression is what happens when you take two English ceilidh musicians on fiddle and melodeon and put them with a guitar and double bass rhythm section with a love of bluegrass and gypsy jazz, throw in some old time music and foot percussion, a bit of French-Canadian one-row box, a few Irish fiddle tunes, some Django Reinhardt-style guitar, a bit of creativity and a lot of energy and fun...
Recent and upcoming gigs:
2020
- Saturday 7th March 2020 IVFDF 2020 Nottingham with caller Rhianwen Davies
- Friday 3rd April 2020 CANCELLED Alcester Contra, Alcester Grammar School, Alcester, Warwickshire with caller Nicola Scott
- 22nd-25th May 2020 Chippenham Folk Festival, Wiltshire (various callers)
- Saturday 11th July 2020 London Barndance, Cecil Sharp House, Camden, with caller Charlotte Rich-Griffin
- Saturday 25th July 2020 Warwick Folk Festival, Castle Park, Warwick, with caller Jen Morgan
- 22nd-28th August 2020 Whitby Folk Week, Whitby with caller Lynne Render (evening dances on Monday 24th and Tuesday 25th at Whitby Pavilion)
- Sunday 30th August 2020 Towersey Festival, Claydon Estate, Buckinghamshire with caller Bob Morgan
- Saturday 12th December 2020 London Barndance, Cecil Sharp House, Camden, with caller Rhodri Davies
Vertical Expression are:
Charley Roberts - fiddle
Ian Roberts - melodeons and feet
Ian Benton - guitar
Margaret Benton - double bass